The Most Scrumptious Middle Eastern in Philadelphia

Aroma Mediterranean Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.2 (606) • $$

"I always know of the existence of this restaurant, but for some reason we just never came here until tonight. It turned out better than I expected. Although the entrance looks unassuming, the interior is tastefully decorated. Service is friendly. Food is properly priced with decent portions. We had the mini sampler, a chicken wrap and a lamb bowl--all taste great. Overall, we are satisfied and plan to come back again in the future."

Fattoush

★★★★★ 4.7 (365) • $$

"Fabulous food and warm and friendly service. We were looking for a light summer meal and found a winner! The restaurant was bustling with business and it's easy to see why. You won't go wrong with this authentic mediterranean cuisine. It's BYOB so don't forget your adult beverages! And even if you do, there are places very close by to pick up what you like! Enjoy!"

Apricot Stone

★★★★★ 4.5 (372) • $$

"Finally went to try this place after several friends recommended it. Reservations were easy to get, we were outdoors in a well heated patio setting. Service was super friendly. Parking situation was very hard. Mostly street parking that we saw and not much available. Uber/Lyft or carpool if you can. Now on to the food! I love Mediterranean food and was excited to try this place. My favorite entree was the manti. The skewers were ok, lamb was gamey and beef was dry. The sides we got were good. Falafel was also ok. The desserts I really liked though. The Khaitaif was sweeter than the baklava and I would have probably really enjoyed it with a strong coffee. Some fellow yelpers recommended going with a larger group so that more dishes could be shared. With just 2 of us for dinner, it was hard so would try with a larger group next time."

Alyan's Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.2 (383)

"If the wait is a little long don't worry, the food comes out quick! Delicious entrees, very simple menu, music is a bit loud and staff are genuinely friendly. This is truly a family owned establishment and I love it."

Sahara Grill

★★★★☆ 4.1 (386) • $$

"I was headed to the Academy of Music for a 7:30 PM show, and this was a convenient choice that was right around the corner. Luckily, it was the middle of the week, so it was easy to just pop in.This is a pretty basic place, no fancy bells and whistles, with one guy pretty much handling all the front of house duties. He was fast, congenial and answered questions.Since I wasn't starving, I opted for a simple beef schwarma wrap. It hit the spot. Next time if I'm hungrier, I'll get some other appetizers."

Gyro Kabob House

★★★★☆ 4.4 (302) • $

"We found this no frills, small kabob restaurant off the highway on one of our road trips to DC when we pulled over for gas. If you know about kabob spots, you know little spots like this pack that flavor! We decided on the Chicken Tika and Beef Kofta With rice as well as the Chicken Tika which wasn't on the menu but they were kind enough to accommodate since the wife doesn't eat beef. Our meals were wonderful, as expected. The spices were perfect and our dishes came with two different types of rice. The most memorable to me was the cilantro rice. As a Latina who loves cilantro, I've never had rice like this. It was sooo flavorful!! Overall, the service and food were delish!! We'll always stop here on our trips if we pass through Delaware."

Kanella

★★★★☆ 4 (325) • $$

"I am KICKING myself for taking this long to check out Kanella. The service, the food, the price point... it is all worthy of 5 stars. On a Friday night, my friends and I decided we needed a GNO so we made a reservation at Kanella and brought our own bottles of wine. We sat inside because it's been disgustingly hot out, but they have outdoor seating, too! We opted to try the tasting menu and I am so glad we did. We were a group of 5 people total, so we got one of each meze. For our mains we did ground lamb, spanakopita, falafel, and chicken shish. For dessert we got one of everything and two kunefes.. because obviously. My meze favorites included the shepherd salad, hummus, muhammara, seared halloumi, and cyprus potato chips. The chicken shish was the best main by a long shot. The desserts were all hits, but my favorite was the kunefe.I loved this meal so much that on Saturday night I ordered takeout because I needed more of the hummus, shepherd's salad, and chicken shish.TLDR: Kanella is amazing, a BYOB, and worth every penny. Come with a group and try the tasting option so you can have one of every meze and most of the main options."

Kabab Cafe

★★★★☆ 4 (312) • $$

"Food was excellent Pepsi is a plus Service amazing and friendly Ambiance was okay. Table had a serious wobble."

Persian Grill

★★★★☆ 4.2 (269) • $$

"Good, but not amazing Persian food. As Dave L noted, it is a little unassuming spot which would be perfect for a causal meal. The lamb was a solid choice if you are seeking a recommendation. While I believe all dishes come with rice, only a few come with anything else. However, the portions are fair and will fill you up. Of course, if you aren't quite full there is always Baklava."

Al Zaytouna

★★★★☆ 4 (261)

"Great little Tunisian resto on the border of Philadelphia's Little Italy. Mediterranean cuisine is featured with a Tunisian spin on many dishes from that region. The service was very friendly, efficient; the food coming reasonable quickly when you consider some items are made from scratch. Give this place a try as it is interesting when you compare similar dishes from other countries you may have had."

Desert Rose

★★★★☆ 4.1 (245)

"Do not come here in a rush! Everything is cooked to order and you must allow extra time - which for us was worth it. 2 pita sandwiches (One Sabich and One Falafel) to go took 25 minutes and ran close to $27.Nothing is cheap these days - but the quality here is wonderful. Big stuffed pitas with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, cabbage slaw and amba. Luscious char-grilled eggplant.Classic Sabich and so tasty!Again - slow service but worth the wait."

Al-Sham Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.9 (241) • $$

"My friend picked this restaurant for us to meet up at on Saturday for lunch. Neither one of us had been there before. You order at the counter and they cook it and bring it to you.I prefer to eat off of real plates and not given to go containers at the table I'm going to sit and eat at.So I would order take out from here moving forward. Food was good! Service was friendly!"

Bishos

★★★★★ 4.6 (153) • $$

"Stopped in here on a Friday early evening for dinner. You order at the counter and then they call you when your order is ready. I thought the prices were very good for the portions you got. I enjoyed a hummus bowl that had veggies in it and falafel. I got a meal so i picked a salad and a bottle of water to go with it. There was so much food! My boyfriend liked his dinner as well!The restaurant looked fairly new. Nicely decorated and clean. I will be back for another hummus bowl!"

Hadramout

★★★★★ 4.5 (120) • $

"My friends and I came here for a weekly dinner one night. We have all heard good things from this hole in the wall restaurant. This is my first time trying Yemani food! We each got Samboosa to try which is a flaky pastry with meat and cheese. The sauce that came with it had a kick to it. For my entree I got the Chicken mandi. Its a big piece of chicken on a bed of spiced rice and veggies. Delicious! The chicken was fall off the bone and the spices were on point. We enjoyed our meal and the prices weren't bad at all!The only negatives was that you had to buy your own drinks (including waters) and the bathroom was alittle dirty. Other than that it was a great meal with friends :)"

Falafel Time

★★★★☆ 4.1 (111) • $$

"A few things to know if you've never been to Falafel Time:1. This is a predominantly take-out business. The space is small, and there is one small table inside that I have never seen anyone using.2. Their signage says they are cash only, but they also have signage stating they accept cards. I have never had an issue using a card, but as a small business of course cash is preferred.3. While the name is Falafel Time, the main event here is the chicken shawarma. The first time I tried Falafel Time, a friend and I called in our order and walked over to pick it up. We got a chicken shawarma platter with fries instead of rice, beef kabobs, hummus and pita, and a salad. The portions were HUGE, we had enough to feed four people. The hummus portion alone was super generous, especially considering the price point. And it was some of the most fresh and delicious hummus I have had in a while. The beef kabobs were a bit dry for my preference, but this did not matter because that chicken shawarma platter was out of this freakin world!For a recent takeout lunch order, I ordered through Yelp. I decided to add falafel to my chicken shawarma platter and the whole meal came out to $15. The platter is a very generous service and it comes with a small salad too. The falafel was good, not my favorite ever. But as always, the chicken shawarma delivered."

Flame Kabab & Gyro

★★★★☆ 4.1 (94)

"I came across this place because:1. I was SUPER hungry2. It was close by3. It had only 1 $ rating on YelpI didn't have too high of expectations as the place was empty around dinner time, and it just seemed like any other kebab/halal type place.We walked in and were warmly greeted by the man at the counter. We both ordered a #10 which had one beef and one chicken item. It looked and sounded delicious. All of their main menu items were around $10-12, which was a little more than I anticipated. Food took a little while to make as they were making it all fresh. Although we were in a hurry, we apprecited the MTO meal a lot. The food came out piping hot! There was rice, our beef and chicken, a side of salad, some stewed chickpeas, and a side of yogurt sauce and salad dressing. DELICIOUS! Especially the chicken. GET THAT CHICKEN!"

Al-Sham

★★★★☆ 4.1 (92) • $

"Al-Sham is such a gem, and the food is amazing! Prices are very reasonable, the proportions are generous, the flavors are *chef's kiss* and the menu is overwhelmingly huge!We had the family meal #3 a few months ago but we just had their wings (naked and breaded) and their sampler and all I can say is... don't sleep on their American menu! The wings were great and the sauces were generous as well. They make the food really fast, great service and good overall vibes!"

Ny Gyro & Grill

★★★★★ 4.7 (64)

"The discovery of this amazing eatery came down to pure luck, location, and other reviews but I will be back because the entire lunch experience was absolutely OUTSTANDING!!!First, don't come with a group of friends because there is no room for groups but if you are meeting a friend for lunch or doing lunch alone you can't go wrong!!SUPERB SERVICE ... the two gentlemen who were behind the counter were helpful and so friendly! I loved being able to carry on a conversation throughout the meal and their concern with whether or not we enjoyed lunch.Actually, I should point out that the meal I purchased at Ny Gyro & Grill was both my lunch and dinner because the portion of their delicious food was enough to serve as both meals.I went with the recommendation, which was perfectly prepared and had a great flavor but when offered their homemade hot sauce I definitely added it! Another plus for some their meat is halal!"

Makkah Market

★★★★☆ 4.1 (81) • $

"I stopped in this market more for just the food. No matter what time my day it is, The mood is always peaceful and welcoming here. There's always a nice line for the buffet and understandably because it's one of the few places that really makes home style, Middle Eastern food and you can do some grocery shopping. Today I ordered lamb with rice and mixed vegetables. I hadn't been by here in a while but everything is just as good as I remember. I can't say enough how awesome it is to come here and get food and to have conversation with fellow patrons and staff. It's definitely a treasure to have a 24 -hour market like this in the neighborhood."

Shawarma Kebab

★★★★☆ 3.8 (94)

"Decent Schwarma with pretty good meat, mediocre tzatziki, and excellent "Schwarma sauce."I got the lamb and beef wrap. At $8, the price is quite agressive. The wrap is a good lunch portion but not overstuffed. The meat was probably a small handful, not a ton. It was savoury and flavorful with a nice juicy tender bite. The pita wrap was a bit dry/chalky grinding between my teeth but was crisp and just oily enough on the exterior. The tzatziki was goopy and just not very aromatic. Mostly tasted like light sour cream. Toppings were fresh and crisp."

New York Gyro Place

★★★★☆ 4.1 (67) • $

"This is a good spot for tender, juicy and delicious Chicken Shawarma on a warm pita bread.Always fresh food.Always fast service.Always friendly staff.Four Yelps."

Aldar Bistro

★★★★☆ 3.6 (65)

"Stop here often since it's right down the street from our personal training studio. The menu has interesting food choices that are good. And the price is very reasonable. Chris Vtrainers Personal Training."

Al Sham Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.9 (55)

"I'm sorry I didn't come here sooner. This might become my go-to takeout. Got the Mixed taste appetizer, with stuffed grape leaves, hummus, pita, baba ganoush, tabbouleh, and falafel. It was all good. The falafel was so delicious my husband thought they might use the same fryer as the meat. Bad for my vegan family members when they visit, but it was flavorful to me but not too heavy. Hummus was creamy and smooth and rather light. Tabbouleh was fresh. The menu is huge. I'll be back to try the rest!"

Al Sham

★★★★☆ 4.1 (48)

"Wonderful flavors and menu!!! My new favorite restaurant. They are halal and offer meals deals for those of us on a budget. The staff were welcoming and very helpful with choosing a meal. The baklava is probably the BEST I have ever had. The restaurant and restroom was super clean and free from clutter. I think my favorite part besides the food and how quick the staff worked was the many different cultures of people coming to pick up food or dine-in. The samosas were delicious and flaky with a nice green, cilantro-y sauce. The pita was fresh and went nicely with the hummus and garlic sauce. I was recommended to try the pineapple Barbican malt drink (non-alcoholic) which was sooo tasty and not overly sweet. The mango lassi was a bit sour, but I think that's because they don't add a ton of sweetener."

ZARA HALAL GRILL

★★★★★ 4.6 (36)

"This is inside the small food court area of Franklin/Philadelphia Mills mall near to Old Navy/Walmart/movie theatre. Food was pretty good. Ordered 2 combo over rice platters ($8)-not bad at all! The combo gets you a choice of two items to go over the seasoned yellow rice, along with salad and pita on the side. We got Lamb with chicken and fried fish (choice of talapia or whiting) with chickpeas. Meats were very well seasoned and the salad that comes with was fresh. The whiting was also flavorful and fried nicely (be careful of the bones). The pita was freshly grilled with a little crunch-very good. Rice was ok. We ate in the food court to avoid the food smell permeating the place with the open kitchen. The woman taking the orders seemed a bit annoyed by a customer asking questions about the offerings, but it got sorted out. I'd return if at this mall."

Wame Shawarma

★★★★☆ 3.9 (44)

"We have ordered from here a number of times.Great tasting food from a family run business.The chicken Shawarma is really good and reminds me of the version I used to get in Dubai."

Tabouli Middle Eastern Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (39) • $$

"My wife and my favorite food in Ardmore. Everything we've had at tabouli has been great--ironically, the tablouli is probably our least favorite thing--and we pick up from here regularly. It is a tad on the expensive side, but what in this town isn't?"

Bucks Gyro

★★★★★ 4.7 (26)

"This food cart sits at the corner of Street and Jacksonville Roads, just in the other side of Street Road, from the gas station entrance to Costco.Had seen it en route to Costco many times and finally stopped by for a try, as my packed salad was not really calling my name.$9 got me a wholly satisfying meal of chicken and lamb over rice with salad. It was fresh, full of flavor and just the right serving size. It was packed nicely with my sauces on the side, as requested.Conveniently, Visa, discover and some other cards are accepted. And, my receipt was emailed from square detailing my payment details. Note: unlike the downtown philadelphia carts, this doesn't come with a drink included."

Maq’s Gyro Grill

★★★★★ 4.9 (23)

"The food here is pretty similar to NY gyro in Philly pike. The prices are fair and the portions are generous The little mixed vegetables always makes me feel less guilty about eating greasy meats piled onto a bed of greasy riceToday was my first time getting the fried fish, pretty good. I will add that to my regular rotation nowThey food is made fresh but is done so quickly. The salads are precut so you can point to what you wantThe guys at the grill are nice and friendlyI'm glad we have a lamb over rice place in the burbs now, I'm never driving to Philly pike again"

Calypso

★★★★☆ 4.4 (26)

"Super cute, good food and great service! We dined with my husband and parents for a birthday dinner on the patio and had a great experience. Our server, Dylan, was helpful with recommendations and answering questions. We shared the mezze, spanakopita, lamb shank, chicken spinach feta, moussaka, and shrimp orzo and all were delicious! Amongst five people that was more than enough and the dishes were easy to share family style, which I always prefer. As it got dark, the outdoor ambient lighting came on and it was very pleasant to enjoy coffee and baklava while we chatted."

Al Sham Restaurant - Philadelphia

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (43)

"This place was pretty good. You get a ton of food too. We had enough for 3 people to have food for 2 days. I ordered the Salmon hoagie because I love feeeesh and I never had one before. It was very good. I probably wouldn't get it again because salmon on a hoagie isn't the way I want my salmon. Next time I'll stick with the staples. We all got stuff to share though and there wasn't anything I didn't like. I highly suggest the sham sampler."

Ramiz Turkish Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (14)

"We didn't have proper dinner but came just for desserts. The server was so attentive and friendly. Both desserts - Kunefe and Kazandibi - were delicious and not too sweet. There were a few patrons sitting across us that had just finished their dinner and couldn't stop raving about the food so we are looking forward to coming back again."

Rana Halal Cuisine

★★★★☆ 3.9 (14)

"What's not to like about a classic Philly Cheesesteak with the cheese whiz? Adding onion rings on top just to add more of a crunch! Rana's is clean and pretty quick. Just ask to have everything made halal and they'll be more then happy to do so"

Al-Salam Grill

★★★★☆ 4.4 (9)

"The food is so delicious. I usually only order chipotle or halal guys but after eating this this is now my go to place for beef over rice. The food is cooked fresh for you and they give a good portion unlike chipotle where they skimp out on everything. The sauces are really good with the beef and the bread and the hummus is good too. The price is affordable and worth it unlike other places."

The Halal Guys

★★★★☆ 3.7 (12)

"I was excited to know this place opened up, i normally go to KOP one but willow grove is close to me, i missed grand opening but today i could go since it was on the way to my place from work I had such a high hopes since this place is newI ordered regular platter with chicken Chicken was disappointingly dry and hard Looked like almost running out of it They should have kept it more moist, fresh and warm. Fried rice itself was very hot but the chicken was not."